The invention concerns a built-in sink comprising at least two combined sink parts, of which at least one is a flush basin with an overflow provided on the basin wall.
Built-in sinks, set into cut-outs of countertops, usually are in the form of a combination of a sink with a draining part. However, other combinations are also used. All of these known built-in sink combinations have in common that they comprise a single prefabricated part. The materials used are stainless steel sheet, plastic, enameled sheet steel, ceramics and the like.
Because of their dimensions, these known built-in sinks require a relatively high production effort. For example, in the production of prefabricated sinks made of a plastic very large injection molding tools must be used, with every different type of combination, requiring a separate, large and thus expensive, injection molding tool.
The necessarily large dimensions of the known built-in sinks render their transportation, storage and installation difficult. If the built-in sink becomes damaged, repair costs are high, because in each case the entire unit must be replaced.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to design a built-in sink of the above-mentioned type so that numerous combinations of sink parts are possible with a lower cost of production, transportation, inventory storage and installation.
This object is attained according to the invention, that the sink including a shallow basin, a drainboard and/or another sink basin, is in the form of separate sink modules connected positively with each other.
This modular configuration results in a significant simplification of production, transportation, inventory maintenance and installation, as the dimensions of the individual sink modules are substantially smaller than the built-in sink assemblies from them. The assembly of the combination desired is carried out only during installation of the sink in a countertop. The tools required for the manufacture of the individual parts of the sink, in particular injection molding tools in the case of plastics, are significantly smaller and thus less expensive than in the manufacture of simple-part built-in sinks.
By the positive joining of the combined sink modules a necessarily accurate alignment of the individual sink modules is obtained, which makes possible efficient sealing between the sink modules by simple means.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sink modules joined together are provided at their connecting edges with a joining flange and the adjacent, parallel joining flanges are covered by a connecting strip positively engaging the flanges. The connecting strip not only provides an optically pleasing transition between adjacent sink modules, but by its positive joining effect assures a secure connection and mutual alignment.
The connecting strip is preferably fastened by being screwed to a counter strip located under the joining flanges. In this manner the two adjacent joining flanges are held together fixedly and securely even without an attachment to the work surface, while simultaneously sealing the area involved.
According to a particularly advantageous configuration, the counter strip is provided at its center with a drain with which the overflows of the two adjacent sink modules communicate. In this manner, an overflow, which is hardly noticeable optically, is created for the two adjacent sink modules. The overflow may be installed very simply since the drain comprises an integral part of the counter strip which is being held against the undersides of the two joining flanges and is screwed to the connected strip located thereabove. The establishment of the connection between two adjacent sink modules by means of the connecting strip and the counter strip simultaneously completes the installation of the drain for the overflow from two adjacent sink modules. In contrast to known configurations, there are no openings in the side wall of the bowl and drainage lines that must be tiqhtly connected with the openings.